


A freight train running through the middle of my head

by Skyson



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Phil can't stop thinking about Skye, Phil thinks Skye is wonderful, Phil's got it bad, Skye thinks Phil is wonderful, Unresolved Sexual Tension, and he's got it good, early morning conversations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-05-02
Packaged: 2018-03-26 17:07:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3858328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyson/pseuds/Skyson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little AU fic following the team's (Skye's included) return to the base. Skye and Coulson have a moment alone in the very early hours of the morning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A freight train running through the middle of my head

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Bruce Springsteen song "I'm On Fire".

Coulson awoke suddenly, covered in a sheen of sweat, the collar of his t-shirt damp. He was breathing heavily, his heart racing. He shifted against his pillows so he was sitting up against the headboard, and he squeezed his eyes closed for a moment, breathing in deeply through his nose. It hadn't been a nightmare, but he almost wished it was.

Ever since Skye had come back, and they were living in this pseudo-freedom at The Playground, he'd been having these... dreams. Very intense dreams that left him waking up in tangled sheets quite often. Dreams that he sometimes couldn't distinguish from reality; those in particular leaving him wide awake and feeling even more restless than usual.

There was a Bruce Springsteen song that always came to mind in these moments, and Coulson scowled at his brain for taking him further down that dangerous route. That _inappropriate_ route. It was bad enough that his uncontrollable subconscious decided to imagine _those_ scenarios - he didn't need to start entertaining those thoughts while he was awake.

He rubbed his eyes and swung his feet off the edge of the bed, deciding that he might as well not try and go back to sleep now. Without bothering to put anything on his feet, he padded silently out of his room and headed toward the kitchen. A good strong cup of coffee would do him good, clear his head. And he could get started early on his plans to further earn Gonzales' trust.

It was early enough that May wasn't even up yet, so the lights were still dimmed. He didn't bother to turn them up; letting his eyes adjust and preparing the coffee by memory. He had pulled a mug down from the cabinet and was leaning against the counter, waiting on the coffee maker, when he realized someone else was in the kitchen.

He blamed it on his preoccupied thoughts, and inwardly cursed his lack of observation. And, of _course_ , the person had to be the one causing his distraction.

"Are you making a whole pot?" Skye asked softly, not wanting to disturb the quiet. Coulson nodded, then realized she might not be able to see him clearly enough. He could just make out her form in the low light.

"Yes. Would you like some?" Dammit, his voice was far too soft to be speaking toward her.

"Please." She sounded grateful, and he cursed again at the small lift he felt in his chest. It was just a cup of coffee. This was certainly not the first time they'd had a cup of coffee in one another's presence.

Though, he was standing there in his t-shirt and shorts. He hoped she couldn't see enough to notice that detail, and turned so his back was toward her. He didn't want her seeing the affects his dreams had been having on his body. If he could just get the cup of coffee and hurry back to his room before anyone else walked in and did something horrible, like turn the lights on...

"Mind the company?" Skye wondered. "You seem like... you didn't expect anyone else to be up." She sounded a bit embarrassed, and, _damn it_ , she could tell he was still wearing his pajamas. "Though, I didn't expect anyone else to be up, either." She admitted, and Coulson sighed quietly, pulling another mug from the cabinet for her. He set it down on the countertop next to his, and moved toward the table to sit across from her.

"Of course I don't mind your company, Skye." He assured her. God, he was on a roll this morning, wasn't he? He could see her eyebrow raise slightly.

"You seem preoccupied." She commented. He noticed that she had yet to look directly at him for more than a lingering glance, and wondered how she could read him so easily - particularly in the darkness of the room.

"A bit." He admitted. "That's what the coffee's for." He tried to be lighthearted, but his voice sounded too exhausted for it to be believable.

"I didn't sleep well, either." Skye confided, of course hitting the nail on the head. "It's weird being prisoner in your own _home_."

Coulson looked at her for a long moment, incredibly touched. She glanced at him, taking in his expression - he wondered what it was, exactly; he never knew what his face was doing around her - and she looked down at the tabletop.

"Home," Coulson repeated, and Skye shrugged and looked at him again, her gaze almost challenging.

"Of course." She said defiantly, and he smiled softly.

"I was worried... that you wouldn't feel welcome here anymore." He admitted, and she looked at him like he was ridiculous.

"I'm a SHIELD agent, Coulson. Firstly." She hesitated a beat. "I also happen to have powers. But I'm a SHIELD agent." He smiled widely at her firm tone, her assurance behind her statement. He felt even prouder at her next statement, "And I work for _your_ SHIELD, not whatever the hell this Gonzales guy thinks he's doing."

"Skye," Coulson sighed, almost saying it. His lips even started to form the words, but he quickly stopped himself. He clasped his hands together, resting them on top of the table. To someone who didn't know him, he would appear relaxed, but Skye knew him, and knew his nervous habits. Luckily, she took them as a reaction of something else.

"You have a plan, right? Please tell me you have a plan." She leaned forward on the table, her hands resting atop it just inches from his own. He watched them carefully.

"I... will let you know when the time comes." He said, and she smiled.

"You've got a plan for everything," She spoke almost proudly, and while he knew that statement to be false, he still appreciated it. Her smile dropped slightly, and she looked concerned. "You're sleeplessness... it doesn't have to do with the you-know-what, does it?" She asked lowly.

His heart raced. This was not a topic he wanted to discuss, particularly with her.

"No." He said, and it only made her more suspicious that his response was so curt. He tried to soften his expression. "I would let you know if that was the case." He assured her quietly, and she relaxed a little.

"It's not... _me_ , is it?" She asked worriedly, and his heart stopped for a moment. He held his breath until she finished her next sentence, "You aren't concerned I'm gonna bring this place to the ground, right? Because I won't. I finally understand them now - well, you and I have talked about that already..." She laughed a little sheepishly. "I guess I find it hard to believe that you trust me."

"Your powers?" He asked, and his relief was obvious. "No, no - of course I'm not worried about your powers. And you _know_ that I trust you. I've always - " He stopped, amended his statement, "I've always known you were a good person, Skye. No, there may have been a while where I didn't trust you, but that was because you were a member of the Rising Tide. And the last time I distrusted you was a _long_ time ago."

She looked rather emotional about his words, but he couldn't see her face clearly enough to tell whether she was actually crying or not. He hadn't meant for that to happen.

"You're not worried about my powers... but you're worried about me?" She prodded carefully, and he clenched his jaw. "I'm okay... it's been a _crazy_ past couple of weeks, but I'm okay. I'm happy to be back home. Even if it's a bit awkward with those other guys acting like they're in charge."

"I know you can take care of yourself. You have been for a long time." He knew he sounded impressed by her - he was always impressed by her. Now he was having a harder time keeping it reigned in. He was having a hard time keeping everything about her reigned in, lately.

"Is it Gonzales and his people? You don't have to worry about them - they aren't gonna get anywhere near me." Skye said firmly, and he fought the scowl off of his face, the rising feeling protectiveness threatening to overwhelm him.

"Over my dead body." He muttered, and Skye looked at him in surprise. She looked at him for a long time, finally taking in his appearance, noticing how his hair stuck up everywhere from his sweaty tossing and turning, how his shirt collar was still a bit discolored as it wasn't completely dry yet.

"What are your dreams about?" She asked gently, and he knew she was just concerned that he was suffering side effects from the serum again, even though he had just assured her that wasn't the case.

"I'd rather not talk about them." He said tightly, squeezing his fingers together.

"You _know_ that it helps," She carefully prodded him, "we've talked before - "

"I shared with you previously because it concerned you, because I was..." He hesitated over the wording; he had no idea if Gonzales had bugs anywhere on the base, and it wouldn't surprise him at all to find some. "I thought you needed to know to recognize the symptoms should you start having them, as well."

"But these obviously concern me, too!" Skye exclaimed quietly. "You just said they were about me - "

"Skye, _please, drop it_." Coulson begged, closing his eyes. She was quiet for a long time. "I need to go; get started on some things..." He stood up, moving around the table to head back to his room, but she stood quickly and moved in front of him, stopping him short. He could only look at her as she raised her hand to brush her fingers against his forehead.

"I want to help," She whispered, concerned for him. His skin tingled where she touched him.

"You can't, Skye. Not with this." He sighed, resigned, and when she lowered her hand it was to press it against his chest.

"Are you sure?" She asked, in such a way that he frowned slightly. Her fingers pressed into his shirt a little, and she shifted closer to him. "You haven't asked why _I'm_ awake," She pointed out.

"Skye," He whispered, his voice catching in his throat, and she leaned in to brush her lips across his. It was a barely-there touch, but it ignited a fire in his chest, and he moaned a little, giving up. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her completely against him, opening his mouth against hers. She gasped at his sudden intensity, but she opened her lips to allow his tongue entrance, and held onto his shoulders when she lost her balance.

She gave it back to him just as much, forcing control over the kiss, sliding her hands down his arms, pressing her body against his. Feeling suddenly overwhelmed, he pulled his mouth away from hers, breathing heavily. He was a bit pleased to find that she was out of breath, and her face flushed.

" _Wow_ ," She breathed. He realized his hands were dangerously low on her back, and he slowly pulled them off of her, standing just out of her space. "This is serious," She said, reaching down to take his hand in her own. "I think we need to discuss this further." He smirked a little, mostly with hopeful relief, as she led him down the hall, their fingers interlocked. 

\-----

When May entered the kitchen to make her cup of tea before Tai Chi, she noticed the fresh pot of coffee, and two abandoned mugs sitting out on the counter. She blinked at them for a moment, and then moved to put them away, a hint of a smile on her face.

This was one secret she wouldn't have a problem keeping for Coulson.

* * *

 


End file.
